No Two Are Alike

20 | on santa's naughty list

Chloe paced around the waiting room.

She felt restless. Agitated. Like she had consumed twenty cups of coffee, which — come to think of it — she probably had. They had only been at the hospital for an hour, but Chloe had made a significant dent in the coffee dispenser. It was almost impressive.

Across the room, Rowan raised her head.

"You should sit, Chloe," she murmured. "Rest for a bit."

"I'm fine."

"She's right, you know," Logan chimed in. "You're driving us all mad."

Chloe glared at him. "I'm still not speaking to you."

"You just did."

Chloe's fingers twitched. She could strangle him. In fact, there was no better place to do it — dozens of doctors were right next door.

Nevertheless, Chloe threw herself into an empty seat, crossing her arms. The hospital television was blaring a Christmas baking show. One of the contestants was constructing an elaborate snowman cake with a levitating hat. Laura and Richard were both watching it blankly, their eyes more glazed over than the cake.

Rowan took her hand.

"He'll be fine," she said quietly.

"I just can't believe..." Chloe swallowed hard. "I gave him that cookie, Row. It's my fault that he's in here."

"You didn't know."

"Still."

Rowan squeezed her hand. Chloe rested her head on her shoulder, staring at a piece of limp tinsel. It was almost the same golden yellow as the one Logan — no, Jack — had accidentally set on fire in the Alps.

God, she was an idiot.

How had she not known?

Chloe swallowed. It was so obvious in retrospect; Jack's shocking performance on University Challenge, Logan's terrible skiing, their sudden changes in personality...

She had always prided herself on her ability to tell them apart. And, okay, they had switched their eyebrows, but so what? She should have known.

For god's sake, she had kissed Jack. Three times.

And worse, she had liked it.

Chloe curled her fingers around the armrest. What was wrong with her? Jack was her mate. Her best mate, more to the point. He was strictly off limits. She couldn't risk torching their friendship like that. Not for anything.

But she also couldn't forget kissing him.

Or what Jack's warm hands felt like on her back. Or the way he murmured her name. Or a whole host of other rather inappropriate thoughts that Chloe really shouldn't be having in front of his parents.

She swallowed hard.

What the hell was she going to do?

"Winters?" A nurse stuck her head into the room. "Family of Jack Winters?"

Laura shot to her feet. Her elegant chignon was coming loose, and blonde hair curled around her face. A cup of coffee was clutched in her hand.

"Yes?"

"He's awake," the nurse said.

"Oh, thank god," Laura murmured. "Here, darling." She shoved the coffee into her husband's hands. "Can you hold this?"

"Wait!"

Logan hopped to his feet. His mother turned to stare at him.

"What?"